39,000 feet above sea-level, I am aboard a flight back from Miami to DC. Been down in Miami for the past 2 days checking out the scene and getting a little top up to my tan before I head home to the characteristically shit weather in good old Blighty!
Miami was hot, humid and funky with plenty to do! I was staying at the Tropics Hotel & Hostel. Peronally I just sat by the pool, did a load of lengths (to maintain paddling arms), took photos and walked along the beach. But this town certainly has the potential to be a party-goers paradise! Although I only looked, the women here look pretty damn fit, so boys back home, you need to get your butts over state-side if you want some hot toe!
So I return home tomorrow, after being away from the green and pleasant land for a little over 4 months. Looking back to the first few days when I was in Cape Town, it seems almost a lifetime ago. I clearly remember being kinda scared/apprehensive about the trip, seeing it as this massive overwhelming journey. 4 months on, that idea feels pretty alien, as I feel as though I could do this kinda thing professionally, just flit around the world, having fun, taking pics, surfing and meeting great people. But the reality is no one is going to pay me to just have the crack, so it’s back home to earn some money to finance the next trip!
Along the way I have seen so many different places, ridden so many waves at different breaks, met so many crews and cool people, gathered a hareem of chicks and even fallen in love. I certainly didn’t have the latter in mind when I planned this trip back in late October of 2005.
So it’s back to London and finally sunny Essex. I have started work already on the DVD, and am pretty stoked so far with the footage, looks like it might be around 30-45 long, we’ll see! The next few weeks will be a test, not being near the ocean, although I do have Devon next month to look forward to! Hopefully we’ll get some waves! And there is also East Runton not far away to take it back to the North Sea Massive! I wonder how it will feel, re-adjusting to work again, rountine, the tube, London and most of all being 3000 odd miles away from the girl I love.
Before I go into soppy territory, I just want to say a massive thank you (in no particular order) to the following folk who were all responsible in their own way in making my trip a enjoyable one:
- Jenny Heron & Mike Newman
- Sue & Pete Avellini
- Mark, Brandon & Jason Morris
- Mark Sullivan
- Simone Denny
- The Melasti & Losari Beach Resorts, Bali
- Mad Murdoch
- The Sunshine Coast Crew: Michael Clark, The Wayno
- Steve & Rosemary Hull
- Peter Cochrane of Coolulah Surfboards
- Cathy Oddie
- Gill & Nigel Brooks
- The Nagigia Island Surf Resort, Fiji
- The Dominator Crew: Mick, Mark, Mitch, Andy, Jeff, Bao
- Colleen Kuruluk
- Chris Cole
- Ben Brown
- Adam & Faye
- Stacey & Sabine
- The Ocean Beach Crew
- Dru & The Kumar Family
- Adam Steinman
- Elise & The Boyson/Grant Family
- The GW Crew
- Mum, Dad and Brad